Saif Ali Khan-Katrina Kaif starter Phantom gets a book 100 days before release – Mumbai Avengers

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…Now that's what you call a thrilling beginning indeed. 100 days before the release of Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif starrer Phantom, a book which tells the thrilling tale has hit the stands. Call it coincidental or deliberate but the book has been interestingly titled, hold your breath, Mumbai Avengers.

A 'factional' tale that mergers fiction with facts, the book is being pitched as 'Retribution for 26/11'. It deals with a covert mission led by a Retired Lt Gen. of the Indian Army who puts together a team of daredevil agents comprising of a sharp policemen, a suave tech expert, a cerebral scientist and two battle-hardened army officers. The thrilling drama with ample action moves across the world, right from Sweden, Istanbul, Dubai, Singapore and Pakistan.

Written by noted investigative, crime and terror reporter S. Hussain Audi along with journalist and writer Gabriel Khan, Mumbai Avengers is set five years since the aftermath of 26/11 attacks. An edge of the seat thriller with numerous twists and turns, the book has been released well in time to let audience get an idea of what can be expected from the film that is directed by Kabir Khan.

Since the filmmaker has been known to tackle global terrorism in his earlier films like New York, Kabul Express and Ek Tha Tiger, he admits that the subject material of Mumbai Avengers, which he gladly lapped to turn into Phantom, is pretty much up his alley. In the Foreword, he says, "The killing of Osama bin Laden in Abbotabad provided a perfect sense of closure for Americans after 9/11. In this book and my film, Hussain and I have tried to recreate that similar feeling for our countrymen."

Adds Zaidi in his note, "It irks me that our cunning neighbors have always had an upper hand in proxy wars and that, our government has often manifested its chronic impotence. Mumbai Avengers has been a sentiment, a dream and an ambition, especially in the post-26/11 scenario. Kabir's insights into international espionage and storytelling were a revelation. (Producer) Sajid Nadiadwala's interest in the story resulted in the writing of this book."

While Sajid had picked up Chetan Bhagat's 2 Stars for its namesake adaptation with Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, this is for the first time that the prolific filmmaker is coming up with an espionage thriller dealing with the subject of terrorism. Known for making larger than life films, something that was apparent in his own directorial affair Kick, one waits to see how he has put together Phantom which has the subject, director as well as the actors warranting a grand scale big screen appeal.

While that happens, one could well gain an idea from the book.

Article written by staff at Bollywood Hungama. Read more